Steam-trap.



. WITNESSES J. M. TOWNE.

STEAM TRAP. APPLICATION FILED JULY 12, 1912.

COLUMBIA FLANOURAPH CO..WASHINUTON, D. c.

Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

2 BHEETSSHEET 1.

T. M. TOWNE. STEAM TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 12, 1912.

Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ZZZ/Ila INVENTOR WITNESSES -90AM R PH CO'IWASIHINGTON n L llNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH 1VI. TOWNE, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO STANDARD HEAT AND VENTILATION COMPANY, INC., OF NEW YORK,

N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

STEAM-TRAP.

roeaoae.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrri M. TOWNE, a citizen of the United States, residing in East Orange, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful ln'rprovements in Steam-Traps, of which the following is a description.

My invention relates to steam-heating systems and particularly to automatic traps for draining the water of condensation from said system.

Among the objects of my invention may be noted the following: to provide a steamtrap by means of which the water of condensation may be constantly drained oft except in the presence of steam in the trap; to provide a steam-trap so constructed as to reduce the possibility of freezing to a minimum; to provide a steam-trap in which the valve-closing means are arranged remote from the valve so as not to be affected by the drip; to provide a steam-trap with a valve-chamber and an expansion device arranged in cooperative relation so that the action of fluid in the valve-chamber cannot affect the operation of the expansion means in the other chamber; to provide a steamtrap with an expansion device out of the line of drip and arranged so as to be affected only by the lateral expansion of the steam; to provide a balance-valve mechanism so arranged as to prevent the same from remaining closed in the event of a tendency to vacuum in the radiating pipes; and to provide a simple cheap, effective and positively operating trap-mechanism for the purposes above noted.

Vith the above objects in view and others which will be detailed during the course of this description; my invention consists in the parts, features, elements and mechanisms, and combinations of elements and mechanisms hereinafter described and claimed.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, 1 have provided drawings in which Figure 1 is a vertical section of one type of trap comprehending my invention; Fig. 2 is an elevation of the valve bushing shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section on the line BB of Fig. 1; Fig. 1 is an elevation of the expansion or thermostat chamber; Fig. 5 is a vertical section of another form of valve Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 12, 1912.

Patented Apr. 28, 1914:. Serial No. 709,117.

operating means; Fig. 6 is a vertical section of another form of the valve embodying my invention; and Fig. 7 is a vertical section of another form of valve operating means embodying my invention.

Referring to Fig. 1, 1 represents the drainage, or return pipe which may be connected with a low portion of the steam system from which it is desired to drain the water of condensation.

2 is a casting provided with a threaded aperture 3 in communication with the pipe 1 and in communication with the chamber 4, having a port 5 which may be connected to any suitable type of blow-off valve found convenient or necessary, or may be closed with any suitable type of plug.

6 is a plug serving to close the aperture 7 and to carry a cylindrical screen 8 registering with the aperture 9 which opens into the valve-chamber 10. The bottom 11 of the chamber 10 is provided with the threaded aperture 12 and the top 13 of the chamber 10 is provided with a smoothly bored aperture 14. A bushing 15, provided with the screw-thread 16 and lugs 17, is set in the aperture 12 and has the annular portion 18 carried by the webs 19 fitted so as to close the aperture 1 1. The bushing is provided with valve seats 20 and 21 which may be closed by the vertically movable duplex or balanced-valve 22, 23, the members of which are united by the cross-webs 2 1. The valve 22, 23 is normally open or depressed, but the two members thereof are caused to simultaneously engage the valve-seats under the influence of the expansiondevice. The member 22 controls the passage of fluid from the chamber 10 into the by-pass or chamber 25 which is in communication at its bottom with the pipe 26. The valve 23 controls the passage of fluid from the chamber 10 directly into the pipe 26. The pipe 26 carries at its lower extremity a casting 27 containing the lower or expansion chamber 28 open to the atmosphere preferably at its bottom as by the opening 29.

30 is a rod, screw-threaded into the valve member 23 and thus capable of operating both members of the valve. The upper portion of the rod 80 is held in its central position by means of the base of the web 24, while the lower portion thereof is held cen" trally within the pipe 26 by means of a cross-member 31. The lower end of the rod 30 rests upon the horizontal port-ion 39, of the bell-crank lever 83 pivoted as at 34c and having its remaining arm united, as by pivot 36, with the member 37, at one end carrying the flanged-heel 38 against which presses, and which holds one end of the compression spring 39 in such manner as to tend to turn the bell-crank lever in a counter-clockwise direction, maintain its upper arm substantially horizontal, and thus allow the balanced-valve to stand normally open. The opposite end of the spring 39 is supported on the casting-flange 38 The member 87 car ies at its other extremity a spider having four fingers 50 within the chamber 10 of the casting 27. The chamber 1-0 is provided with four lugs 41 which support the thermostatic expansion-device 42, which is preferably a double diaphragm between the walls of which there is carried a volatile substance adapted to expand under the influence of heat and press the walls of the diaphragm apart. The fingers 50 rest upon the periphery of the expansion-device, which thus sustains the member 37 in proper position with its abutting face 43 against one wall of the expansion-device, while the member 44, carried by the screw 45 is held in place against the opposite wall of the expansion device by jam-nut 46 in the cover 47 which is held in its proper position by the hinge et8 and bolt 19 in such manner as to close the chamber 40. Tt'will thus be noted that the eXpan sion device 12 is located below the vertically movable valve 2% and that said expansion device is also located at one side of the path of the water which is discharged downwardly through the pipe or member 26 that depends from the valve containing chamher.

In the form of my invention shown in Fig. 5 the horizontal spring 39, shown in Fig. 1, is omitted and the vertical compres sion spring 51 is arranged to press downwardly upon the cross member 52, said spring surrounding the rod 30 at the lower end thereof, it being obvious that the pressure exerted by the spring 51 will tend to turn the bell-crank lever 33 and press the face 13 of member 37 against the expansiondevice in the same manner as in Fig. 1. The spring in this form of my invention performs the double function of turning the bell-crank lever and of pressing the rod 80 downwardly to unseat the valve.

In the form shown in Fig. 7 the valve and rod 30 are pressed downwardly by the compression spring 53' and no other spring is necessary in the structure.

In the form shown in Fig. 6, the pipe 1 leads directly into the chamber 10 and is so disposed with regard to the valve that the upper member 22 opens above the pipe 1 so that water may issue through the lower valve-seat while air may enter through the upper valve in the pipe, thus destroying any acuum. and thereby giving faster drainage with my invention.

From the foregoing detailed description, the following mode of operation will be apparent :Liquid and sediment passing through the return or outlet pipe 1 will enter the chamber a, where the sediment is screened and the liquid passes through the screen and descends into the chamber 10 and from thence passes through the normally open valve, in the position shown in Fig. 1, into the pipe 26 and thence into the top and out of the bottom of the chamber 28, without affecting the expansion-device. The sediment accumulating around the screen can periodically be taken out or blown out through the port 5 and by the screen is prevented from passing into the chamber where it might interfere with the operation of the balanced-valve. The screen may be removed for cleaning or renewal. \Vhen steam passes through the pipe 1 and from thence int-o the chamber 28, as above described, the lateral expansion thereof will heat the eXPtlliSlOll-(lGViCG, cause its liquid to vaporize and its members to expand and operate the bell-crank lever through the member 37 and thus raise the rod 30 and lift the balanced valve 22, 23, thus preventing the escape of further steam, this occurring when the expansion dovice 42 has become heated sufliciently to cause it to operate as just described. The expansion-device being disposed remote from the path of drip or flow of water cannot be operated or affected by the flow, and the chambers above will be kept well drained, thus preventing freezing, and giving ellicient heating effect. The location of the expansiondevice also enables it to be operated by the lateral expansion of the steam on reaching the chamber 28 and does not make it dependent upon having the steam projected directly upon it.

The balanced valve is quite important since, should there be any tendency to vacuum in the chambers 5 and 10, said valve will be prevented from remaining closed and the chamber 10, by the air entering through the bypass or chamber 25 thence into the top-member 22 of said valve. This by-pass and its cooperative relation to the balancedvalve are important at all times, in the operation of the trap, because the valve cannot freeze due to failure to open under any condition.

From the foregoing description, it will be readily appreciated that I have provided a steam-trap for heating systems adapted for use in practically any relation required, and which is simple, compact and positive in operation, and which will respond readily to the influence of steam or the requisite amount of heat.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 2- 1. In a trap the combination of a drain pipe, a valve chamber into which said drain pipe empties, a vertically movable duplex valve arranged so as to control the flow through upper and lower valve seats in said chamber, a thermostatic expansion device, a lower chamber within which said thermostatic expansion device is located, mechanism whereby said valve can be operated by said thermostatic device and a main discharge pipe leading from the lower interior portion of the valve chamber to the interior of the lower chamber, the lower valve seat being arranged below the drain pipe whereby liquid from the drain pipe can flow from the valve chamber when the valve is away from its seat through the main discharge member into and from the lower chamber, the valve chamber also comprising a bypass or connecting passageway between the opening which is controlled by the upper member of the duplex valve and the main discharge member leading from the valve chamber, the thermostatic device being located at one side of the path of water flowing downwardly from the main discharge member through the lower chamber.

2. A trap for heating systems, comprising a plurality of chambers, a vertically extending pipe joining said chambers, a vertically arranged balanced valve in one of said chambers, a vertically movable valve stem extending through the pipe into the other of said chambers, a thermostatic means arranged in the latter chamber, said thermostatic means comprising a disk which is 10- cated at one side of the said valve stem out 01": the path of the liquid that flows down said pipe, and means between the latter and the thermostatic means for operating said valve stem.

3. A trap for heating systems comprising a balanced valve, a chamber containing the same, a chamber containing a thermostatic device, a spring controlled bell-crank lever pivotally mounted in said chamber and arranged with one o-f its arms normally in a horizontal position in order to support said valve, and means between the lever and the thermostatic device whereby said device may operate said valve against its spring control, the valve members of the balanced valve each controlling a passageway between the interior and exterior of the valve casing.

4s. A trap for heating systems comprising a chamber, a plurality of valve seats opposite to and vertically arranged in respect to each other, a duplex valve cooperating with said seats, a direct outlet communicating with said chamber, a second chamber encircling the first said chamber and communicating with the outlet and with said first chamber in order to provide an indirect passageway leading to and from the interior of the chamber, and means comprising a thermostatic device for operating the valve so as to sin'iultaneo-usly close the direct and indirect ports.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH M. TOWNE.

Witnesses:

CUFMAR A. SrinonL, CHAS. Mo. CHAPMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

